New methodologies for patterning micro- and nano- scale features in polymer
thin films are desired because of their high technological relevance to a
range of applications, including microelectronics fabrication. A new
non-contact strategy for high-speed patterning of arbitrary shapes in
polymer films that involves photochemically directing the Marangoni effect
will be described. The Marangoni effect drives the formation of thin film
topography by causing liquid flow in response to surface energy gradients.
In this approach, a topographical pattern can be preprogrammed and stored in
a smooth glassy film using light activated chemistry to pattern surface
energy gradients. The topography can be later revealed by heating the film
to the liquid state without use of a wet or dry etch step, unlike
traditional photoresist methods. The use of grafting reactions from small
molecule photosensitizers to change the surface energy locally in polymers
that do not intrinsically undergo photochemical reactions will also be
discussed. Judicious selection of the photosensitizing compound in an
otherwise transparent polymer expands the use of this method to more readily
available light sources. We believe this methodology will be potentially
useful as a facile and ubiquitous patterning technique for many polymers.

To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2014.MAR.W19.15